Record Turn-out for Worldwide Coaches Conference 2007 in Asuncion Paraguay

     

                    Antoni GIROD during his presentation on court.

 

 

                        Summary of Antoni GIROD's Presentation
"How to integrate the mental training of Junior players on court"
Players and coaches agree in saying that the mental part of the game is a key element of performance. It seems obvious that coaches have a considerable variety of drills and exercises to work the technical, tactical and physical components of the game but the on-court mental drills are quite rare and difficult to apply. The mental aspect of the game is perceived by players and coaches as something abstract and general. The challenge of this presentation is to show how it is possible to organise a fun and practical mental training integrated in the technical and tactical work on-court. In order to achieve this we will present a series of adapted drills for players 10-17 years old. Certain exercises need specific equipment. The goal of all these exercises is to develop the mental skills of the players. 

 

1. CONCENTRATION

 

- Exercises of visual concentration with the “concentration kit” :  “Watch the ball” is the simplest and most efficient advice that we can give to a player to concentrate. Interestingly enough, the simplest things are the ones that we end up forgetting. The goal of the visual concentration drills is to acquire the focus at impact, to develop reaction speed for the acquisition of visual information and to stimulate the peripheral vision.
- Routine of in between points concentration :  Young players have the risk of getting too relaxed after winning a point and getting in anger after losing a point. In order to avoid these loses of concentration it is important to elaborate a solid concentration routine early in the development of the player that will help them to switch in and out at the end of each point.

 

2. BODY LANGUAGE

 

- Basic exercises of body language : In match play body language is an open book of the player’s emotional and mental state. Being aware of their own body language helps the player to acquire an extra level of action over their thoughts and emotions. Basic exercises are focused on the head and shoulders.
- Role play with the “body language kit”: Players experiment in a game situation 6 psychological profiles corresponding to 6 living roles: “Warrior”, “Eye of the tiger”, “Zen master”, “Loser”, “Complainer” and “ Nervous”.

   

3. TACTICAL VISUALISATION

 

- Tennis Kata : martial arts applied to tennis : In martial arts katas are the fights between two imaginary opponents performed with the same physical intensity as if it was a real combat. Movements should be chained with the highest technical precision and maximum fluidness. Certain gestures need lots of concentration of energy and are performed while shouting a characteristic shout: the “kiai”. These katas constitute a fundamental element of the training of athletes. The “tennis katas” apply the same principle to tennis. The player has to execute a combination of precise tactical movements with the same intensity as in a real point in order to become a mental warrior.

 

- Exercise of active visualisation with the cards of “tennis kata”

 

Stage 1: memorise the tactical scheme written in the “tennis kata” card          

Stage 2: perform in slow motion the “tennis kata” visualising the balls trajectories

Stage 3: perform in real speed motion the “kata”, shouting in the last  point a "kiai"